Brian Hieggelke

Sushi joints are so plentiful in this city that they've become a modern-day version of the neighborhood diner: we tend to frequent the one close by as long as it is clean, fresh, friendly and reasonably priced. If you're going to the book fair this weekend, you can get your sushi fix at the South Loop's newest restaurant, Oysy. With a name meaning "delicious" (pronounced OH-EE-SHE), it's a sleek minimalist space on a quiet corner at Michigan and 9th, with vast windows overlooking Grant Park. The attractive and friendly staff keeps the open space, which is lit in green-gray hues with a stainless steel sushi bar and modern wood-grain benches, filled with activity even when it's half empty. I've eaten here a couple of times, and have always found the sushi to my liking, whether a flavorful spicy tuna maki or the dragon maki, which is shaped like its name. Of course, I'm only a casual sushi eater--it's all about the wasabi for me. The grilled dishes excel, and they're served in small, inexpensive portions, tapas style, to allow sharing and sampling. Grilled steak with garlic miso marinade features slices of tender beef that melt in your mouth with flavor, and the grilled Chilean sea bass with garlic black bean sauce offers tender, moist fish and sauce good enough to drink from the carry-out container. The bar offerings include martinis and a small range of wines and sakes; dessert features nothing but your choice of five flavors of mochi ice cream. If you've had it, you wouldn't want anything else. Now all the neighborhood needs is a diner.

Oysy, 888 South Michigan, (312)922-1127

(2003-06-04)

Also by Brian Hieggelke

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Tony Duffy has a new fetish. The longtime Chicago promoter is jumping back in with Retro-Trash Electro-Clash, a party that he hopes will take up regular residency at Vision.
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The S series
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Spin control
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Be Like Lebron
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Back to School
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Chinese dynasty
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Tip of the Week
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